Automatic gas injector for liquid systems



June 10, 1941 G. H. MCMULLEN ETAL AUTOMATIC GAS INJECTOR FOR LIQUID SYSTEMS Filed 001;. 23, '1959 ATTORNEY Patented June 10, 1941 AUTOMATIC GAS INJEoToR-Fon LIQUID SYSTEMS Y George H. McMullen and lJosiah M. Haddaway,

l West Chester,- Pa.

Application October 23, 1939, Serial No. 300,684

s-ciaims. (cl. isi-7S) Y The object of the inventionl is to provide improvements in gas injectorsfor liquid systems, and this application comprises a continuationin-part of co-pending application, Serial No. u

293,572.V Therefore, while allr feasible gasesand liquids are to be kept kin mind as being broadly anticipated by the construction, functioning and operation of the present invention, any gas or gases and any liquid or liquids, for Which the present invention may be adapted, are to be understood as being anticipated by the more speciiic references to air and Water as hereinafter found.

Broadly, therefore, the present invention has for its object the provision of a simple and highly eicient device by which air isV automatically drawn into Water systems; that is,either directly into the body of Water in such av system, or into a closed tank or air chamber-forminga part of such system, and Which latter is inturn designed to insure a regular flow of the Water therefrom, even when the Water -isinitially impelled-into and through such system by 'reciprocatory orf-other form of pumping means, Vsuch as producerintermittently varying pressures.'

AS is Wellknown, inthe case of ythe myriad forms of reciprocatory and many other'pulsating types of pumps, Whetherintended for shallow or deep wells, it is "desirable that their irregular pumpingA action shall# be transformed into-arelatively steady-and uniform flow of the Water propelled thereby, particularly whenthe discharge is not made rst into a gravity storagetanlnbut is direct to the faucets,valves,orJ other forms of discharge outlets. Fory -this purpose these pumps have heretofore beenprovided Withanlair chamber forming a branch from the main line of the system as itleads` from the pump,4 and .in order to maintain `a substantial` quantity ofn air in such chamber, by replacingethat which vbecomes dispersed in and ledWith-the Water therefrom, a separatevpump ,hasy invariably beenprovided, such pump usually being operated .by the regular Water pumping mechanism andr inparallel therewith. v

Another object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an improved type of air injector which may be interposed vdirectly in the main channel or pipe leading from the pump, or which, for that matter, may be attached to any Suitableform of laterally directed branch line, or which may be attached to and in communication` with the upper portion of the interior cfa closed storage tank when present, and in suchwlatterA casemayv either be controlled by the level of the Water in sucli tank, as by meansl of a float, diaphragm, or equivalent device, or may be left free to operate entirely independently of such Water level.

The basic principle of construction upon which the operation of the improved injector depends, resides in the provision of a casing Within which ispositioned in spaced relations with the Walls thereof a resilient, expansible element, such as an elastic tube or bulb into or through which Water iiows from the pump, and which is alternately expanded by the intermittent pressure upon such Water, until said element substantially or entirely fills the intermediate space Within said casing, the flow of air from said space into the main water line or channel, being controlled by a plurality of automatic valves positioned in spaced sealing means, which cooperate to provide between them an intervening chamber or air reservoir, as hereinafter described.

A modication of this construction, functioning Within the scope of the same broad principle, comprises a bulbous casing and an expansible bulb of rubber or similarly elastic material positioned therein and when collapsed being spaced from the wallsofsaid casing, said casing being normally secured to and in communication with the upper portion of the interior of anV air chamber or the like, forming a branch of a water System', the interior of said bulb also being in come munication with the vinterior of Said chamber, While the space between said bulb'and the'surrounding casing is incommunication with the interior of said chamber, only indirectly through the medium of an interposed air reservoir or chamber, defined by and between spaced sealing means, through which air is permitted to pass intermittently under the control of suitably arranged valves, Whilea valve-controlled inlet also extends into said casing eXteriorly of said bulb.

Still another object resides in the construction of said modication in such a manner, that the air inlet through said casing is so related to the adjacent portion of theelastic bulb, that said bulb shortly' after beginning to expand operates to close said inlet, in order to thereby serve as an additional means for preventing the escape or leakage of air from said casing, revers'ely through said inlet aperture' and past the rvalve which is intend-ed to control the same.

With the objects thus broadly Stated, the invention comprises further detailsof construction and operation which' are hereinafter fully brought out in the following description, Whe'nr'ead in conjunction with thejacc'ompanying drawing'in which Fig.'l is a transverselongitudinalsecticn of an automatic air injector, comprising one embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a similar section of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, a casing I comprises an intermediate, preferably pear-shaped bulbous section 2, upon the opposite ends of which are located axially aligned tubular end sections 3 and 4. Each of said end sections is adapted to be connected in a pipe line or the like through interposed reduction members 5, the larger ends of which are secured to the respective extremities of said casing by means of suitable threaded couplings 6. Said reduction members may be rigidly secured to said casing, or as shown in the drawing may be arranged, so as to provide va swivel connection between said casing and the oppositely positioned pipes of a system inwhich said casing is inserted. For such a purpose each casing end may be provided with a conical surface 1, against which cooperates the similarly shaped surface 8 of the adjacent portion of the interior of each of said reduction members. The couplings 6 in such a case are provided with radially inwardly directed flanges 9, which rotatably engage annular shoulders I upon the exterior of said reduction members, in order to thereby complete a suitable form of swivel construction.

Substantially centrally of the bulbous portion 2, said casing is provided with an air inlet aperture II, in which is positioned a valve casing I2 containing a suitable valve I3, operative to permit air to flow into said casing, but operative also to resist the egress of air therefrom. The interior of the bulbous portion of said casing is preferably of substantial pear shape, as shown in the drawing, while the inlet aperture II is located at or substantially adjacent to the largest ldiameter of said bulbous portion, in order to function as hereinafter described.

Within said casing adjacent to said lbulbous portion and forming substantial continuations of the inner surface thereof are sealing units, each of which comprises a metallic ring I4 adjacent to the inner side of which is positioned an annular gasket I5, while against the opposite side of said Vgasket is positioned a second metallic ring I 6. Each pair of metallic rings with its intervening gasket is secured together with variable pressure and consequently with a variable degree of expansion, by means of lbolts or the like I'I. Each pair of metallic rings and intervening gasket comprises anv annular seal or partition unit, while within and extending through each of said units is one end of an axially extending, radially expansi-ble tube I8 of rubber or equivalent material. Within one end of said tube and in the plane of the adjacent sealing unit, a rigid cylindrical ring or ferrule I9 ls positioned, so that upon drawing the metallic rings of said adjacent sealing unit towards each other, and consequently spreading the gasket interposed between them, radially both inwardly and outwardly, the adjacent end of said tube will be forced into intimate binding relation with the outer surface of said ferrule, while said gasket is simultaneously forced into equally binding relation with the inner surface of the adjacent end portion 3 of said casing.

The second of said sealing units is provided with a longitudinally extending bore 20 in which is positioned a suitable valve 2I, while in the adjacent end portion of said tube extends one end of a second cylindrical member 22, this memiber being provided externally with an annular flange 23 for limiting its movement into said tube. This second sealing unit, as indicated in the drawing, operates in exactly the same manner as the rst sealing unit hereinbefore described in detail, except that air is permitted to pass through this second sealing unit by way of the bore 20 under control of the valve 2l, whereas there is no provision for air to pass through said rst sealing unit at any time.

Spaced from said second sealing unit and also positioned within the same end 4 of said casing Y is a third sealing unit, comprising spaced metallic rings 24 between which is interposed a rubber or similar gasket 25, said rings being drawn together by bolts 26 in order to spread the gasket vas hereinbefore described, while said last mentioned unit is similarly provided with a bore 2'I within which is positioned a suitable valve 28. Extending through said last mentioned sealing unit is the opposite or outer end of the cylindrical member 22, and the extent to which said member may extend through said last-mentioned unit is determined by an external annular ange 29.

Inthe operation of this invention it ,will be understood that the reduction members are corinected directly in the pipe line of a water system, so that water from an intermittent pump or from a pump producing variable impulses passes directly through the tube I8. The elasticity of said twbe must be such that each pulsation of the pump will cause said tube to expand substantially, if not entirely, into engagement with the inner surface of the bulbous portionZ of said casing, land upon cessation of the abnormal power incidental to each such pump pulsation, the inherent resiliency of said tube will cause it to collapse and return to its normal cylindrical shape. As said tube expands in each instance, air is forced from within the space 3D surrounding said tube, through the bore 20 in said second sealing unit and into the intervening space 3l between said second and third units, where the pressure in time is built up to such a degree that, following the cessation of such abnormal pres sure during a given pump pulsation, such air from said intervening space or reservoir will automatically pass through the bore 21 in the third sealing unit, and thus enter the body of Water passing through the device.Y Upon said tubes collapse, air Will be drawn into said casing, past the valve I3, ready for expulsion during a subsequent pump pulsation into the reservoir space 3l, as just described.

It will thus be obvious that it makes no diiference in which direction water may flow through the device, as its pressure :being uniform in all directions at any given moment will permit the momentarily greater pressure within said reservoir space to forvce air into said water during one of those periods following a pump pulsation, when the .pressure of the water is less than the pressure of air Within said reservoir space. With respect to the shape of the internal surface of said bulbous portion, the idea there represented is based upon the fact that said tube I8 in expanding should rst approach that portion of the surrounding wall farthest from the exit bore 20, in order that the air within the space 30 will be impelled towards said exit bore, as otherwise there might well form a pocket in the opposite end of said space Y3l), from which compressed air could not pass to said bore past the central portion of said tube,`if or while in uniform circumferentialengagement with the central part of said bulbous portion.

Referring tothe form of the invention shown in Fig.' 2, the upper'portion of an otherwise closed tank or air chamber 3m is shown as comprising a wall, having a threaded aperture 32 into which extends the smaller end portion 33 of a reduction 'tting 34, the opposite or larger end 35 of which tti'ng is threaded to receive the .lowermost end portion of a cylindrical casing 36, which in turn is provided upwardly with a preferably pearshaped bulbous portion v31, provided centrally with an air inlet aperture 38 controlled by a valve 39.

Within the cylindrical portion 36 `are two sealing units spaced apart to provide an intervening reservoir space 4D. The lower of said units comprises spaced rigid metallic rings 4l, between which is positioned an annular rubber gasket or the like 42, said rings and gasket surrounding the lower end portion of a cylindrical member 43, spanned at its lower end by an apertured spider d4 having a central bore 45, and at its upper end being closed by a wall 46 having a central aperture 41, the upper edge portion of which aperture forms -a seat for a valve 48 carried upon the upper end of a stem 43, which extends slidably through the spider aperture 45 and is yprovided storage reservoir 40. After several such expansions and subsequent contractions of the bulb 65, during which latter periods additionall air is drawn into the space 66A past the valve 39, the pressure within the space 40 will have been raised tojsuch a degree, that air will escape throughthe Ibore 5|.into the upper portion of the `tank 'or-compression chamber 3io, coincident with a subsequent lowering of the level of water therein'.` Thus, the operation of this device in both of its forms is entirely self-acting towards the end of automatically injecting into and mainupon its lowermost end Within the tank or air chamber beneath the wall 3la with a float 5l), which in turn is adapted to rise and fall with the level of water, while such level is in the vicinity of said wall. The sealing unit 4I-42 is provided with a bore 5l, controlled by a valve 52, while the extent to which the cylindrical member 43 may pass through said sealing unit is limited by an external annular flange 53.

A second sealing unit is also positioned within the cylindrical portion 36 of said casing and comprises an annular metallic ring 54, having a shoulder which cooperates with a corresponding shoulder 55 within said casing, to limit the insertion of the ring 54 to a predetermined position, wherein its innermost surface 56 will form a continuation of the inner surface 51 of the bulbous portion 31. This second sealing unit also comprises a second metallic ring 58, while a rubber or similar gasket 59 is centrally positioned within said unit, and the rings of each of said units being drawn together by means of bolts 60.

.This second unit is also provided with a longitudinal bore 6I in which is positioned a valve 62.

Surrounding the inner end of the member 43, and extending into contact with an outwardly directed annular iiange 63, is the smaller and otherwise open end portion 64 of an expansible resilient bulb 65, the opposite closed end of which, when said bulb is collapsed, being positioned relatively closely adjacent to the inlet aperture 38. With this construction, as the level of the water within the tank or the like rises and engages the iioat 50 so as to lift the same, a continued rise of said Water level permits air conned thereabove to pass the valve 48 and enter the bulb 65, causing said bulb to gradually expand in fall directions, but rst to engage and close the inlet Iaperture 36, so as to thereby seal said aperture against the possible escape of air past a leaky valve 33. Thereafter, as said bulb continues to expand, air is forced from the space 66 in the upper part of the bulbous portion 31 of said casing, downwardly until said bulb iinally attains uniform contact with the wall 51, by which time all of the air within said space 66 will have escaped through the bore 6I into the taining a substantial quantity of air in the water system. The plug 61, shown in the modified form of the device, normally closes an aperture 68 in the casing 36, so that upon removing such plug vaccess to the space 40 is made available, for such purposes as to testl the variations in air pressures therein. f

Having thusdescribed our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. 'Ihe combination of a water system, with an injector, comprising a casing forming a part of said system, an expansible member within and spaced from said casing, adapted to be distorted by pressure within the system, an air inlet valve extending through said casing and connecting the space between said casing and said member with the exterior of said casing, and means to control the iiow of air from said space into said system, comprising a plurality of sealing means having valve-controlled passages extending through them and said means dening between them at least one intermediate pressure reservoir.

2. The combination of a water system with an injector, comprising a casing forming a part of said system, a radially expansible tube within and forming a channel for a liquid thro-ugh said casing, and enclosing a space between the tube and casing walls, an air inlet valve connecting said space with the exterior of said casing, and a valving device connecting and controlling the ilow of air from said space into said system, comprising a plurality of sealing means having valve-controlled passages through them and said means defining at least one intermediate pressure reservoir between them.

3. The combination of a water system, with an injector, comprising a casing forming la part of said system and having an enlarged central portion, a radially expansible tube secured at spaced regions to the inner walls of said casing upon the opposite sides of said central portion to providea space therebetween, a valve connecting said space with the exterior of said casing, and a pair of sealing means between said space and said system and having valve-controlled passages extending through them and defining a pressure reservoir between them, to control the flow of air from said space into said system.

4. The combination of a casing, with a water system in which said casing is connected, a hollow expansible member within said casing and adapted to expand under pressure from Within said system towards a limit defined by the walls of said casing, a valve-controlled air inlet in said casing, and sealing means extending between said member and said casing and comprising a plurality of sealing partitions having valve-controlled passages extending through them, and defining at least one pressure reservoir between them, to control the flow of air into said system.

5. The combination of a casing, with a water system in which said casing is connected, a hollow expansible member within said casing and adapted to expand under pressure from within said system towards Ia limit defined by the walls of said casing, a Valve-controlled air inlet in said casing, and sealing means extending between said member and said casing and comprising a pair of sealing partitions having valvecontrolled passages extending through them and defining a pressure reservoir between them, to control the flow of air into said system.

6. The combination of a water system, with a casing connected in said system and having a valve controlled air inlet in a wall thereof, with a hollow expansible member within said casing, and upon expanding being operative to close said aperture independently of said valve, and valve means to control the flow of air from said casing into said system.

'7. The combination of a water system, with a casing connected in said system and having an air inlet in a wall thereof, with a hollow eX- pansible member within said casing, and upon expanding being operative to close said aperture, and valve means to control the flow of air from said casing into said system.

8. The combination of a casing, with a water system comprising a Substantially spheroidal portion, a Valve-controlled air inlet leading into said portion, an expansible bulbous member within said portion and when collapsed providing a space within the walls thereof, said member being alternately expansible and contractable under the influence of intermittent pressures within said system, and a sealing device between said space and said system, having a valvecontrolled conduit which includes a pressure reservoir to control the ow of air from said space into said system.

GEORGE I-I. MCMULLE'N. JOSIAH M. HADDAWAY. 

